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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24026656">A Brand New World</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mike_Amber/pseuds/Mike_Amber'>Mike_Amber</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Walking Dead &amp; Related Fandoms, The Walking Dead (Comics)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, Inspired by The Walking Dead, Original Character(s), Walkers (Walking Dead)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-03 01:21:41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>8,877</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24026656</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mike_Amber/pseuds/Mike_Amber</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In Pittsburgh, life seems normal enough. That is, until the dead rise and start to feed on the living. For Jacob and Sam Greening, two teenage twins who lost their parents at age 4, this new terror turns their world upside down. Watch these two young people grow and develop in an original story with original characters. </p><p>Takes place in The Walking Dead Comic Universe.</p><p>This is my first story, so constructive criticism is appreciated.</p><p>Rated Teen for cursing and graphic depictions of violence.</p><p>The Walking Dead, property of Robert Kirkman.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. A Brand New Day</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hi! This is my first fanfiction, so I'm still trying to figure out what writing style will work best for me. Enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hi! This is my first fanfiction, so I'm still trying to figure out what writing style will work best for me. Enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span class="u">A BRAND NEW WORLD</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span class="u">Chapter 1: A Brand New Day</span>
</p><p>After a hot summer day in Pittsburgh, PA, the cool evening breeze is a welcome one. For the Greening twins and their foster mother Meghan, it's a break from their usually boiling non-air conditioned house. The small family is currently eating a simple leftover supper, a usual occurrence during the lazy summer days.</p><p>"If you guys decide to go to the pool tomorrow, make sure to have the best sunscreen we have with you", Meghan tells them as they eat. “Tomorrow is supposed to be one of the hottest days on record for this city!” she said. Meghan was a tall, thin woman roughly around 40 years old. She had only fostered Jacob and Sam, the twins, for a few months so far. She tried to raise them as best as she could. Since Meghan was single and had no children of her own, she was elated to be able to foster the Greenings.</p><p>"As if Jacob is gonna go to the pool.” Sam commented. “He’ll be playing video games with Roland all day!" Sam, or Samantha as her birth certificate suggested, was a green eyed, blonde-haired girl of 15 years old. Her brother Jacob, also 15, was almost identical to her, except his eyes were blue instead of green.</p><p>"Hey! At least I won't have to peel my skin off tomorrow night!" Jacob fired back.</p><p>"Not if you put the sunscreen like I suggested, Jacob." Meghan said.</p><p>"You know I don't like to put on sunscreen. I get rashes!" Jacob said.</p><p>"No you don't, dumbass. It's your imagination." Sam said with a laugh.</p><p>"Hey, that's enough, Sam! No language like that at the dinner table." Meghan said with a warning glare.</p><p>"Ok, Ok, sorry..." Sam replied sheepishly.</p><p>After some more bickering between the twins, the meal was finished. While Meghan went to read from her extensive literature collection in her bedroom, Jacob and Sam went to watch TV in the living room. At 11pm, they decided to turn in and call it a day. Since the small house they lived in had two bedrooms, Jacob and Sam had to share one. They have a bunk bed, in which Sam sleeps on top and Jacob on the bottom part.</p><p>After closing the light, the twins spent the remainder of the day's energy chattering to each other about their plans for the next day. "...and then Isabella is going to come over and we're going to the pool!" Sam was saying. Jacob snorted, “Sounds pretty boring to me. Roland and I are going to play Call of Duty for the whole day tomorrow."</p><p>"That seems more boring to me than going to the pool." Sam said. This was quickly followed by her yawning. “See...look how bored you just made me..."she complained tiredly.</p><p>Jacob laughed softly. “Good night, Sam. Sleep well, because tomorrow is gonna be great day for both of us."</p>
<hr/><p>Sam woke up the next day at 9am. She climbed off the top bunk to find Jacob’s bed empty. She smirked knowingly. Jacob had always been more of an early bird than she was. He probably woke up at 6 or 7 and snuck out to head to Roland’s.</p><p>Sam got dressed and headed to the kitchen to make breakfast. She greeted Meghan, who was eating cereal at the kitchen table. She had the day off of work today. Sam made herself a big bowl. She knew she would need it for today. It’s going to be a great day, she thought. First, Sam and Holly had planned to just hang out around her house. Once Isabela showed up, they would watch TV and then go to the pool a little later. Compared to the boring summer days she was used to, this was a godsend.</p><p>Meghan’s talking brought her out of her daydreaming. “Sam, is Jacob still sleeping? He almost always wakes up before you.”</p><p>Sam burst out laughing. “No, Jacob is long gone. He’s probably already at Roland’s.”</p><p>Meghan stared at her for a second, before closing her eyes and sighing. “Why, Jacob? Why do you have to make things difficult for me?” she muttered.</p><p>“Because he’s Jacob Greening! He loves making things difficult!” Sam said with glee.</p><p>“Ok, I know Holly’s house is pretty close to Roland’s. Can you check up on Jacob later in the day and at least make sure he had something to eat?” Meghan asked.</p><p>“For sure Meghan, no problem.” Sam replied cheerfully.</p><p>After finishing her breakfast, Sam carefully packed what she needed in her backpack. Sunscreen, bathing suit, extra clothes, snacks and magazines were all essentials. She added some books to be sure, and then headed for the front door.</p><p>“Have a great day, Sam!” Meghan called to her from the living room. “Don’t forget Jacob! And don’t come home too late.”</p><p>“No problem! I won’t be home too late Meghan, I promise! See you later!” With those final words, Sam walked out the door and headed towards Holly’s.</p>
<hr/><p>“Yeah! Get ‘em!” Roland Aruda yelled. Roland was one of Jacob’s closest friends. Ever since they met a few months ago, they had become great buddies, bonding mostly over videogames.</p><p>“I’m trying!” Jacob replied. The two of them were in Roland’s basement, sitting on beanbags in almost complete darkness, with chips and coke on a small table between them. They were playing Call of Duty on Roland’s PS2. The smell of foot odor marked the area. Luckily, Roland’s parents had gone to work. They would NOT have approved of this arrangement.</p><p>“Fuck!” Jacob yelled as his character was killed.</p><p>“Hold on! I think I can kill him!” Roland said. The two of them watched as Roland raised his gun in the game to shoot. Unfortunately, the AI player shot him first.</p><p>“NOOO!” Roland screamed. He promptly shut off the console in rage and ran upstairs. Jacob quickly followed him up.</p><p>Unlike the basement, the rest of Roland’s house was brightly lit and full of modern and open spaces. Jacob always marveled at how nice the place was, especially compared to Meghan’s.</p><p>Roland went to the kitchen and grabbed a can of coke from the fridge. “Shit, I can’t believe the AI kicked our asses again.” He muttered angrily. Jacob nodded in agreement. Roland’s freckled face was still twisted with annoyance. His orange hair was messy from the lack of combing. He was already 16, but still slightly shorty than Jacob and chubbier.</p><p>“Maybe you should lay off the coke. That’ll do you some good!” Jacob said, with a fake cheerful laugh.</p><p>“Screw you! At least I’m not a health freak like you!” Roland replied jokingly. He tried to hit Jacob, who easily dodged the attempt. Roland went to hit him again, but was interrupted by a loud sound from the TV.</p><p>“What the shit? Jacob, I told you to turn the TV off, man!” Roland said.</p><p>“Calm down, I turned it down.” Jacob replied. “Wait, what was that noise?” he asked questioningly.</p><p>Roland went over and turned up the volume. “…and it looks like the situation is worsening!” A nervous reporter was saying. Behind him, cops were trying to keep a big crowd of people calm.</p><p>“Wait, that’s…that’s downtown Pittsburgh.” Roland whispered.</p><p>The news station then showed a very similar situation across major American cities. New York, LA, Chicago, Boston…they all had huge crowds gathering in the streets. Gunshots could be heard. It even looked like the National Guard was present.</p><p>“What the hell is this..?” Jacob muttered.</p><p>“Looks like anarchy to me” Roland said.</p><p>“It is advised that people stay at home until the situation calms down” the news anchor said. This was followed by the station replaying the same thing it had just showed.</p><p>“What? What situation? Why didn’t they say it?” Roland asked frantically.</p><p>“We missed it.” Jacob said grimly. He immediately headed for the door.</p><p>“Wait! Are you going home, man?” Roland asked him.</p><p>“To be honest, I would feel safer if I did.” Jacob replied.</p><p>“I’ll come with you! My parents wanted me to buy some groceries and the supermarket is just past your house.” Roland said. He grabbed a wallet and some plastic bags near the door.</p><p>“Are you sure it’s a good idea?” Jacob asked.</p><p>“Of course! Whatever this is, it’ll pass, just like everything before it.” Roland said.</p><p> The two of them walked outside. Roland’s neighborhood was eerily quiet for 11am. In the distance, sirens could be heard. Roland locked up his house, and they began walking in the direction of Jacob’s.</p><p>For such a weird day, the weather was beautiful. And extremely hot. The boys were sweating by the time they got to the next block. That’s when they heard the sound of someone running towards them.</p><p>“What-?” Jacob was interrupted by someone crashing into him.</p><p>“Thank God!” Sam cried. “I saw the virus on the news and had to head home! I knew you would go too!” she said. She hugged him.</p><p>“Hold up!” Roland said. “Hi and all, Sam, but what’s this virus you just mentioned?”</p><p>“Didn’t you guys watch the news?” Sam asked. The boys nodded. “There’s a virus spreading, and it’s what’s causing all the chaos around the world!” she said.</p><p>Jacob and Roland looked at each other. “Well, that makes sense I guess” Roland said. “I’ll probably buy my groceries and head home fast then.”</p><p>“Agreed.” Jacob said. “Let’s get to Meghan before—“ he was interrupted by a groaning noise behind them.</p><p>The three teens turned around to find a strange person walking towards them. At least it seemed like a person. It was a woman, with pale skin and white eyes. She hobbled towards them as if drunk. However, the most striking thing about her was the hole on the side of her neck, and the blood that covered it and her entire shirt.</p><p>“Um, lady?” Roland asked her nervously. “Do you need help?”</p><p>The lady lunged at him, and he was lucky Jacob grabbed him and pulled him away just in time.</p><p>“Run!” Sam yelled. They all broke into a sprint, straight towards Meghan’s. Along the way, more of those people came out of houses and chased after them. Some of those people were also eating something on the street. They were everywhere.</p><p>When they finally reached Meghan’s house, they discovered the door open. Meghan was standing outside, facing the house.</p><p>“Meghan!” Sam called. “Are you okay?”</p><p>Meghan slowly turned around. When she faces them, they could see her white eyes and pale skin. Her mouth opened, and a groan came out.</p><p>“Meghan? What happened to you…?” Jacob asked.</p><p>Just then, the pale people who had been slowly hobbling after them caught up. They were surrounded.</p><p>Before they could react, a loud bang sounded as a firecracker went off across the street. The pale people turned towards the sound. At the same time, a frantic whisper came from the house next door. “Hurry! Get in before they notice!” the person said.</p><p>They all managed to get into the house just as the door slammed shut behind them, and they were plunged into darkness.</p><p> </p><p>A BRAND NEW WORLD</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Eventually, I'll come up with a more regular release schedule. Expect chapter 2 in the next few days. Constructive criticism is highly appreciated!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Fresh New Hell</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I've decided for the most part, I'll try to update this once a week, although I might not be able to every time due to work and school.</p><p>As always, Enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Before they can do anything, the same gruff voice that led them to the house speaks again. “Do not move, and by all means do not make a sound.”</p><p>“Wait…Mr. Spitzer?” Jacob whispered. “This is your house, right?”</p><p>Mr. Spitzer was Meghan’s next door neighbor. He’s an old man in his early seventies who lives alone in this house. For someone his age, he was always very alert and understanding of the world around him.</p><p>“Yes it is, Jacob.” The man replied. “And if you all please keep your voices down, I can explain what’s going on here.”</p><p>The three teens nodded and listened intently.</p><p>“First of all, make yourselves comfortable. This is going to be a lot to take in.” Mr. Spitzer told them.</p><p>Jacob, Sam and Roland all went and sat on a worn out leather couch in the living room. It was there they realized why it was so dark. The lights were all off, the windows were covered in cardboard and the curtains were drawn. The house had a faint smell of mothballs.</p><p>Mr. Spitzer sat on the couch across from them. He notices their gazes are fixed on the windows in confusion. “Kids, I know this is tough to take in, but…”he locks his gaze on the Greening twins. “Those people out there, the pale ones, they aren’t alive. They’re dead corpses.” He states.</p><p>The three teens stare at him in absolute disbelief before Roland finally breaks the silence by bursting out laughing. He turns to Jacob “This guy is senile or something, man. Enough of this. I’m going home.” He starts to get up before Mr. Spitzer interrupts.</p><p>“No! You can’t go back out there!” Mr. Spitzer says fearfully. “They’ll kill you! It’s what they do.”</p><p>Before Roland can jump in with a reply, Sam speaks up. “Wait…Meghan was one of them…Is she dead?”</p><p>Mr. Spitzer looks at her grimly. “I’m afraid so. I’m so sorry, Sam and Jacob. I knew Meghan before you guys moved in. She was a very nice woman. She helped me out when my wife died. I’m terribly sorry for your loss” he says sadly.</p><p>While the twins take in the news speechless, Roland interjects. “Wait. How is Meghan dead if she was walking after us?” he asks quietly.</p><p>Mr. Spitzer sighs. “Whatever this virus is, it takes over the brain when you die. My friend’s son is in the military. The National Guard are kept well informed, it seems. He’s been keeping his father up to date as well, through telephone. That’s how I know all of this. These things, ‘walkers’ as they’re nicknamed, bite you, and you get a full blown fever and die after about a day. Then you become one of them.” He said.</p><p>Mr. Spitzer continued, “I saw Meghan die. She heard a commotion as other people were getting attacked. She came out of the house to try to help, and…got bitten. She turned incredibly fast, in just a few minutes.” He said sadly.</p><p>At this point, Sam left the living room sobbing and went to the bathroom. Jacob followed her, tears streaming down his face.</p><p>Roland sighed, “Well, shit. Any chance I could use your phone?”</p>
<hr/><p>It was now evening in Mr. Spitzer’s house. Mr. Spitzer had given the teens a little bit of food for lunch. He was currently in the kitchen, preparing a small supper for everyone with whatever little food he had left. The next day, he said, they would try to find more.</p><p>Roland was in the bathroom, not doing much. After an attempt to call his parents failed, he seemed devoid of energy and lost in thought.</p><p>The twins were sitting on the leather couch in the living room. They had both calmed down from earlier. Currently, they were silent, with blank stares on their faces. Jacob broke the silence. “I remember when Meghan took us in. How happy she was. She never had any kids.” He said shakily.</p><p>Sam remained silent. “She was the best foster parent we ever had” Jacob said. “She actually cared about us, just like Mom and Dad.” He stated.</p><p>Sam finally spoke. “Stop it.” She said, her voice croaky. “Stop talking about all these dead people! It’s not going to make them come back!” her voice rose with every word until she was practically screaming.</p><p>“Sam! You have to be quiet, remember? Those things, the walkers, they’ll get us if we aren’t quiet” Jacob said cautiously.</p><p>Sam sighed. “I know…I’m sorry, Jacob. Meghan’s death, it has messed me up quite a bit” she said.</p><p>“That’s completely understandable. Don’t try to blame yourself for mourning, Sam.” Jacob told her reassuringly.</p><p>“Thanks. I needed that” she told him. They sat in silence for a few more minutes.</p><p>A little later, Mr. Spitzer called them to eat. There wasn’t much, mostly crackers and cheese, as well as a small bowl of tomato soup for each person. Everyone ate quietly. “Thank you, for all of this.” Sam told the older man. “The food, keeping us safe, everything” she said.</p><p>“It’s not a problem in the slightest.” Mr. Spitzer replied. “You’re always welcome here, all of you. And if we want to make this work long-term, we have to get more food tomorrow.” he told them. “We’ll search some of the houses around here. Hopefully the area is clear of walkers by tomorrow.”</p><p>The three teens all nodded in agreement and finished up their food.</p><p>The sleeping arrangements turned out to be better than expected. One of the couches in the living room was a sofa bed. Sam claimed it, wanting to be left alone. Jacob and Roland took the two small beds in the guest bedroom.</p><p>As he lied down in the bed, Roland simply stared at the ceiling. He was in a horrible mood. His parents were most likely dead, and the world as he knew it was ending.</p><p>“I don’t think my parents are alive, man” he told Jacob, who was in the other bed on the other side of the room. “I want them to be, but this world…I know it’s a bad place. Bad things happen all the time. I might have to accept that they’re dead.” Roland said, his voice shaky and uneven.</p><p>“You don’t know for sure. We can find them” Jacob said reassuringly.</p><p>“What if we don’t?” Roland asked him.</p><p>Jacob remained silent. He had no answers.</p>
<hr/><p>The next morning, after having some water, (that was all that they had) Mr. Spitzer called them all over to the entrance. He gave Roland and Jacob a backpack (Sam still had hers) and took his own.</p><p>“Ok, here’s how this’ll go” the man told them. “Right now the streets seem clear, but we have to be safe.” He said. He then reached into the entrance wardrobe and pulled out four chair legs, one for each person. “To kill walkers, you need to destroy the brain” he stated matter-of-factly. “This was the best weapon I could think of”, he said, looking at the chair leg in his hand with doubt.</p><p>“I…I couldn’t kill a person” Jacob said.</p><p>“Trust me, when you see walkers attack, you’ll know they ain’t people, kid.” Mr. Spitzer replied. He went over to the door and peered outside through the peephole.</p><p>“Ok, looks clear” Mr. Spitzer said. “Let’s move!”</p><p>He opened the door and the four of them quietly dashed outside. It was cloudy today. Fortunately, it wasn’t as boiling hot as yesterday.</p><p>Mr. Spitzer and Roland went to search the house next door, while Sam and Jacob decided to go to Meghan’s. They were relieved to see that Meghan was no longer there. Most likely a gunshot or a siren had drawn her away. Mr. Spitzer had briefed them on walker reactions to sound and movement the night before .</p><p>The twins quickly and quietly filled their backpacks with food and water bottles. Jacob finished first and headed outside.</p><p>He thought about the past day and all the radical changes that had come to his life in that short period. He had lost Meghan, someone who was becoming a true mother figure for him. The world seemed to be ending, by the looks of things.</p><p>Was trying to survive really worth it? It would be extremely difficult, Jacob thought. One wrong move and you’re dead, in a world like this. However, as he thought about his sister, he decided he would try to survive. He would give his life to protect her.</p><p>A nearby sound broke him out of his train of thought.</p><p>Jacob turned around to see a large group of walkers coming down the street, heading straight towards him. Smaller groups of them were walking out onto the street from behind houses, and joining the big one.</p><p>“Sam!” Jacob yelled frantically. Luckily, the green eyed girl immediately joined him at the door.</p><p>“Oh shit!” she yelled. “We have to go warn the others!”</p><p>The two of them sprinted towards the other house.</p><p>“Roland! Mr. Spitzer! We have to get out of here!” Jacob screamed.</p><p>Mr. Spitzer ran outside. When he saw the horde, his jaw went slack. “Run!” he yelled.</p><p>Roland joined them, cursing like a sailor when he saw the horde, and the four of them ran away.</p><p>“We have to get out of this neighborhood, now!” Mr. Spitzer yelled “We have to-“</p><p>He was interrupted by a crippled walker on the ground that reached out and tripped him. Mr. Spitzer crashed to the ground, and the walker crawled closer, its jaws opening and closing repeatedly as it tried to bite him.</p><p>“Mr. Spitzer! NO!” Sam yelled. She tried to run forward and help him, just as a walker grabbed her backpack from behind. More walkers hobbled out of nearby houses and the street. Roland, who was closest to her, started smacking the walker with his chair leg.</p><p>Jacob was surrounded by three walkers and forced to attempt fight his way out. He kicked one down, and then bashed another in the head. Unfortunately, the third one grabbed him, and he dropped his weapon.</p><p>Mr. Spitzer screamed in pain as the walker holding his leg sank its teeth into his ankle.</p><p>“No!” Roland ran and tried to help, but he was too late. The other walkers all headed towards the sound of Mr. Spitzer’s screams. The first one sank its rotten teeth into the man’s neck.</p><p>Sam was still struggling with the walker behind her which had bitten her backpack instead of her. Jacob was desperately trying to keep the walker he was fighting off of him. They all stared in horror at Mr. Spitzer as the man was devoured by at least five walkers.</p><p>Suddenly, a gunshot sounded. Then another. The walkers grabbing Sam and Jacob both collapsed, dead. Two cops stood several feet away, their pistols raised and smoking.</p><p>“Come with us! Hurry!” The taller cop shouted.</p><p>The three teens sprinted alongside the cops. They reached a police cruiser and all piled in. The shorter cop hit the gas and peeled away at top speed.</p><p>The last thing that Jacob, Sam and Roland saw were walkers feasting on Mr. Spitzer’s corpse.</p>
<hr/><p>“Did…did you see that old guy get eaten?” Tall cop asked nervously.</p><p>“Yeah. This world keeps getting more and more cruel by the hour.” Short cop said.</p><p>“Are you kids ok, by the way?” Tall cop asked them.</p><p>In the back, the three teenagers had remained silent so far. They didn’t cry. It was as if their tear ducts couldn’t work. However, deep inside, they mourned the loss of the kind old man who helped them.</p><p>“We’re…fine. Sam responded quietly.”</p><p>“Well I’m genuinely sorry for your loss of that man back there,” Tall cop said.</p><p>None of them said anything.</p><p>“Was he related to any of you?”</p><p>“No.” Jacob said.</p><p>“Well, if it makes it any better,” Short cop said, “We’ll take you to a basement shelter set up in an old charity building nearby. There are plenty of survivors there.”</p><p>Roland perked up at this. “Yeah, we’d like that. Take us there, please.”</p><p>Short cop cracked a smile in the rearview mirror. It erased itself completely, however, when they passed by what used to be a busy commercial center. There were people in the streets, running from dozens of walkers. Several bodies littered the pavement.</p><p>“Jesus…” Tall cop muttered.</p><p>“I thought the government had this under control!” Short cop said.</p><p>All of them watched in horror as a young woman was torn apart by several walkers. Short cop quickly got them out of there, speeding the cruiser away and towards the shelter.</p><p>They arrived several minutes later. The cops dropped them off in front of a side door of a building. The cops had to leave, as they were required to assist the military.</p><p>Jacob knocked on the door. A large, dark skinned woman opened it for them, quickly ushering them in.</p><p>“My name’s Donna.” She said. “You can seek refuge here, but you must manage your own supplies. You’ll get a section of the main hall that has three beds. Michael will meet with you in a few minutes to make sure you don’t have any dangerous weapons. You will also be checked for bites.”</p><p>The teens stared at her, dumbfounded.</p><p>“Go on.” She told them.</p><p>Sam walked down a set of stairs, the boys just behind her. She opened a secondary door and found herself in the main hall.</p><p>It was a large room, with about 30 people taking up the space in it. Each group had a section to them, against the wall and separated by office cubicle walls that had been hastily put up.</p><p>It was then that Sam noticed a familiar looking brown haired girl sitting at a small table, her parents by her side. Her breath caught in her throat.</p><p>It was her best friend, Holly.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. The Charity Center</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Apologies! I know this is a little late, but I fell a bit behind with my writing. Unfortunately, chapter 4 will be 1 week late. I'll post it on Thursday May 28. Chapter 5 should follow the week after.</p><p>As always, enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span class="u">Chapter 3: The Charity Center</span>
</p><p>For a few seconds, no one said anything.</p><p>The entire hall quieted down as they watched Sam and Holly stare at each other.</p><p>Then, the silence broke. Sam and Holly both ran towards one another and enveloped each other in a hug, sobbing and laughing at the same time.</p><p>“I’m so happy you’re alive, Sam.” Holly said. “I really thought you might be dead!”</p><p>“Same here!” Sam said with a relieved smile.</p><p>Holly’s parents, Tom and Diane, came over to see Sam. By now, the hall was back to noisy chatter as people returned to their daily chores.</p><p>Jacob and Roland headed over to the cubicle that would become their home, at least temporarily. They started unwinding after the terrifying morning they just had. They both decided to keep their food in their packs for now, so as to not attract unwanted attention. Roland kicked off his shoes and lied down on his new bed. Jacob simply sat down. He wasn’t sure what to think of this place yet.</p><p>Meanwhile, Holly’s parents were talking to Sam. Diane frowned as she noticed something. She turned to Sam. “Sweetie, where’s Meghan? She isn’t with you?”</p><p>Sam looked at the floor in sadness. “She…uh…she didn’t make it.”</p><p>Holly and her parents’ eyes widened as they took in the news.</p><p>“Oh my God, I’m so sorry Sam” Holly said. “Are you-“</p><p>“I’m fine, really” Sam said. “It’s been tough, but it’s OK.”</p><p>“How did you get here?”</p><p>“Some cops saved us and drove us here…we were lucky they showed up.” Sam replied. “Anyway, I’m going to go join my brother for the inspection with Michael. See you in a bit, Holly!”</p><p>“We are <em>definitely</em> talking some more, right after your inspection, OK?” Holly stated.</p><p>“Of course.” Sam said.</p><p>Sam walked over to the cubicle and joined her brother and Roland. She sat down on the free bed, all the while scanning her surroundings warily. The hall was a pretty large room, with low ceilings and a few columns throughout it. The cops saying this place is old was a huge understatement. What looked like 100 year old plaster covered the walls. Pieces of the ceiling were missing, and the windows looked ancient.</p><p>“Not sure I trust this place yet.” Roland said from his lying position on the bed.</p><p>“Yeah, me neither.” Sam said. “It’s a little-“</p><p>“Creepy?” said a new voice. “I can agree with that.”</p><p>The three teens turned to see a young man standing in front of the cubicle. He must’ve been 25-30 years old. With his light stubble, swept black hair and decent height, he looked like he had just jumped out of a magazine.</p><p>“Sorry for the intrusion” the man said. “I’m Michael. And you guys are?”</p><p>The three teens introduced themselves one by one. Michael explained several rules and guidelines to them, and then asked to see their bags.</p><p>“I know this is an invasion of privacy, but you know, rules are rules.” he said.</p><p>Once Michael was satisfied they didn’t have anything dangerous, he checked one of them at a time for any bites or scratches.</p><p>“OK, you guys look good. So here are some directions. Showers and bathrooms are that way. In the middle of this room, our scavengers will leave some food from whatever they find. It’s up to you to take what you can before anyone else does” he told them.</p><p>“Seriously?” Jacob asked. “We’re practically kids! We can’t fight for our food!”</p><p>“I can’t change the rules the government gave us.” Michael replied. “It’s strictly against those rules for me, Donna or the others running this place to intervene in the lives of others. I’m sorry, I can’t do anything. I see you guys have food in your bags. Eat it sparingly, and you won’t have to take much from the stockpile for a good while at least.”</p><p>“Anyway,” Michael continued. “It was nice meeting you all.” He said, leaving their cubicle.</p><p>A few seconds passed before any of the teens spoke.</p><p>“I guess this is our only option right about now.” Roland said.</p><p>“I agree.” Sam replied. “It’s either this or the outside.”</p><p>The teens tried to make themselves more comfortable, before realizing how hungry and filthy they actually were. They went to the bathroom, and all of them took nice hot showers. After wrestling with walkers, they didn’t smell too desirable and they knew it.</p><p>After their showers, all of them put on fresh clothes that were being given out for free in the stockpile. They then carefully shared some of the food they had in their bags.</p><p>For the first time since the beginning of this mess, the three of them actually felt safe, clean and somewhat content.</p><p>After relaxing on their beds for a bit, the teens split up. Roland went to supposedly meet new people, Sam went to talk to Holly and Jacob simply took a walk around the hall, boredom quickly overtaking him.</p><p>As Jacob walked, he noticed something. While most people seemed to mind their business in their cubicles and keep to themselves, others looked more guarded, or ready to start something. One person in particular, a man with a mustache and a bandanna over his semi-long hair, was eyeing people up. He was in a cubicle with a seated woman who looked like she could be his wife or sister. Unlike her, the man was standing, with his back against the wall, his arms crossed, smoking a cigarette. He was looking at everyone with narrowed eyes, as if they were a potential enemy.</p><p>Jacob decided he didn’t want the man’s attention, so he kept walking. As he reached the far end of the hall, a voice called out to him.</p><p>“Enjoying your stay so far?” Michael asked. He was in his cubicle, which looked similar to the others, but it was placed in the corner of the room, and the whole thing belonged to him. He was currently lounging in bed. He motioned for Jacob to sit on a chair near him.</p><p>“Yeah, it’s fine so far.” Jacob said as he took a seat. “Much better than being out there.”</p><p>Michael laughed softly, but his smile disappeared completely as he thought about something. “I can’t imagine what it’s like for someone your age to survive out there. How old are you, exactly?”</p><p>“Sam and I are twins. We’re both 15, and our birthday is in about 2 months. Roland turned 16 recently.” Jacob said.</p><p>“Damn.” Michael said. “Even for the 2 or so days you guys had to experience this horrible new world, it must have been scary.”</p><p>“It was pretty unsettling.” Jacob admitted. He shifted in his seat slightly uncomfortably, and parted his blonde hair back with his hand to ease the mood. “Meghan, Sam and I’s foster mother, died yesterday. We saw her in front of our house, as one of…those things.”</p><p>Michael’s eyes widened. “Shit, I’m sorry man. Losing a parent, even if they’re not your biological one, is always something hard to take.” He took a deep breath. “My parents are both probably dead now. I tried calling them a few times in the past two days, and they didn’t answer. I figure it’s probably better I don’t hear from them again instead of hearing something horrible, like a confirmation that they’re dead.” He sighed and ran his hand through his hair. “It’s OK, though. I’ll get through this. I know I will.”</p><p>“I think overall, things will be OK. The military will wipe these dead things out, just you wait and see.” Jacob said.</p><p>“I sure hope so, Jacob.” Michael replied. “The National Guard is having a hard time dealing with this. Downtown is completely blocked off. They’re trying to clear it out so that citizens can move in, and make it a safe zone for Pittsburgh. If things go south, I’m planning on getting out of here in my car. I’ve already stocked it up with weapons and food. Don’t tell anyone here, though. These people may seem nice, but they’re like vultures. They’ll try to steal my stuff for sure. I trust you not to tell anyone.”</p><p>“No worries. I won’t say anything!” Jacob said reassuringly.</p><p>Michael smiled. “Thanks. It was nice meeting you.”</p><hr/><p>Roland was lying down on his bed, feeling more and more disoriented and worried by the minute. He had just gone around the shelter to see if, by any chance, his parents might be here. No such luck. What he did learn was that this was the only shelter in the area. According to Donna and some of the others here, this place was the only safe building for miles. Most of the other ones were closer to the core of the city.</p><p>The problem was, both his parents worked in the same office building, and from what he learned, this was the closest shelter to that building. So where were his parents?</p><p>Roland sighed and realized sooner or later he would have to accept that they were gone. He knew it would be a death sentence if he couldn’t move on, and he didn’t want to die. He just wished things had played out differently.</p><p>“Watcha doing?” A girl’s voice called out to him.</p><p>Roland looked up. It was Sam, coming towards him. She looked happier than she should’ve, with the world practically ending around them. With her long, straight blonde hair flowing freely and her radiant smile, she looked beautiful.</p><p>Roland gulped and quickly averted his eyes. He was sure a blush was beginning to form on his face. He never told anyone about his crush on Sam. Jacob definitely would have killed him if he found out. He was always so protective of his sister.</p><p>Sam walked into the cubicle. “So, meet anyone new?” she asked.</p><p>The slight smile Roland had on his face vanished. “Well, yeah, but that wasn’t the main reason I took a walk. I wanted to see if my parents were here. And, they aren’t.” Sam looked at him sympathetically. “Roland, I hope you understand, Jacob and I, we’re here for you. For however long this mess lasts, even if it’s forever, we’ll always have your back. We’re in this together.” She said.</p><p>Hearing that, Roland felt a little more reassured. He might not have his parents, but he had Jacob and Sam. They were supportive, and understood his situation. He was grateful to have them with him. “Thank you so much, Sam. That’s the best thing I could ask for right now.” He made sure to give her his best smile. Sam smiled back, happy to help. She sat down on her bed.</p><p>The two of them sat in silence for a few minutes, listening to the quiet background chatter of the hall.</p><p>“I wish I could’ve saved him.” Sam said quietly.</p><p>“Who?” Roland asked.</p><p>“Mr. Spitzer. He helped us, and I feel like I did nothing to help him at all. His final moments were horrible.”</p><p>Roland turned to face Sam. “Don’t do this. Don’t blame yourself for something that you had no control over. If anything, his death is my fault, for not being fast enough to get to him after I failed to help you.”</p><p>“No, Roland. I was the first one to get grabbed by a walker after Mr. Spitzer fell. You had to help my dumbass, which led to his death. If I was more careful, I could’ve killed the walker before it grabbed me, and we could’ve saved him and helped Jacob at the same time.”</p><p>“Stop it” Roland said. “Stop with these fucking what-ifs. It’s not going to change anything. We can’t change the fact that a good man died, and we shouldn’t blame ourselves either. It’s an unfortunate event, but it happened and we have to get over it now.”</p><p>Sam huffed in annoyance. “Well, at least <em>someone</em> is getting used to the new world!” she said.</p><p>“Of course! Why wouldn’t I?” Roland asked playfully.</p><p>The two of them continued bickering for several more minutes, until Jacob showed up. They played some board games that Roland had found in the stockpile. They also collected some books to read to ease their growing boredom.</p><p>That night, as Jacob lied in bed, he thought to himself, maybe this place could work, at least for now.</p><p>And just like that, he fell into a comfortable sleep.</p>
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<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Lost Hope</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Here's Chapter 4! Enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span class="u">Chapter 4: Lost Hope</span>
</p><p>Sam opened her eyes.</p><p>She got up slowly, yawning and stretching at the same time. The main hall was generally quiet, except for the occasional morning whisper. Through the frosted glass windows, no sunlight shone. Sam had heard of a storm brewing today.</p><p>Today would mark two days since Sam, Jacob and Roland arrived at the shelter, making it day 3 there. In the time since, they had listened intently to news reports about the situation around the country. It wasn’t looking good. Several major cities had already been overrun, like Atlanta. Others were closely following that path. Sam had a sick feeling Pittsburgh would be one of them.</p><p>As usual, Jacob was already up and gone, probably taking a shower. Roland was still snoring away. Sam decided she wasn’t hungry just yet, so she took out her current book and started reading. She planned on eating breakfast in a few minutes, and then go hang out with Holly.</p><p>Jacob walked into the cubicle with fresh clothes on, looking relaxed and clean. He greeted Sam, and went over to his backpack. “Sam. Check this out.” He whispered.</p><p>Sam looked over at him questioningly. “What?”</p><p>Jacob opened his bag and pulled out a few cans of food that were definitely <em>not </em>there yesterday. “Last night, I waited until the entire hall fell asleep. Then I went and grabbed these from the stockpile. I don’t want us to fight for our food. This was the best idea I had.”</p><p>Sam hesitated. It wasn’t against the rules to take food at any time; it was just not respected by the people here. But it would definitely be worse if they had to fight for the food. “I think it’s fine, Jacob. Good thinking.” Jacob smiled with pride and proceeded to grab his own book to read.</p><p>The twins sat in silence for the next few minutes, with Roland’s soft snores and the crisp turning of pages being the only sounds in the cubicle.</p><p>Finally, Jacob’s stomach rumbled, and he gave in. He grabbed a can of fruits and started opening it.</p><p>That’s when the front door of the hall burst open. Two disheveled people walked in quickly. It was a man and a woman. They each carried two large duffel bags in their arms. They were drenched in sweat, and had dark blood all over their shirts. Even in their filthy state, they smiled triumphantly. They walked over to the stockpile and began emptying the duffel bags into it. Several different things came out. There were clothes, electronics, and other utilities, but by far the most prominent thing they had was food.</p><p>Dozens of cans in total were added to the stockpile. There was also some packaged food and boxed food.</p><p>All of this commotion got the attention of the hall’s residents. Many of them headed over to the stockpile in droves, ready to take as much as they could. Jacob decided that Michael was right. These people are vultures.</p><p>Things went pretty smoothly, as each family/friend group grabbed whatever interested them and headed back to their respective cubicles. At this point Roland was awake, helping Jacob open cans for breakfast.</p><p>Sam joined in, and the three teens enjoyed their breakfast of canned fruits. While they were nowhere near the quality of real fruit, they were still a welcome treat.</p><p>A shout sounded throughout the hall. Jacob looked towards the source. A sense of dread filled him when he saw the source of the shout.</p><p>It was the man with the bandanna Jacob saw on the first day here. From the looks of it, someone had taken something he wanted, and he wasn’t happy.</p><p>“Give me the cans, asshole!” he shouted to a man.</p><p>“I have a family to feed, Lance!” the man responded.</p><p>“I don’t care!” Lance retorted. “Fuck your family! I want this food for me and my wife!” The other man dropped the cans and spun around, swinging a fist towards Lance’s face. Lance dodged the attempt at a punch and hit back, knocking the man to the ground. Immediately, some people tried to restrain Lance. Others took the opportunity to try snatching extra food.</p><p>Within seconds, a fully-fledged fight had broken out between most of the shelter’s residents. Fists were flying everywhere. Some people threw cans or other items.</p><p>Jacob, Sam and Roland watched everything unfold with shocked expressions on their faces. They didn’t expect something like this. If they were ever caught in the middle of a fight of this size, they could be seriously injured.</p><p>Meanwhile, Lance had gone back to beating the shit out of the other man. The two of them grappled, and crashed straight into the stockpile, sending cans flying everywhere. That’s when Michael decided to intervene.</p><p>“OK guys, that’s enough! Everyone, go back to your cubicles!” He pointed at Lance and the other man. “You two. Clean up the mess you made right now, and get back to your cubicles. I don’t want to see you here for the rest of the day.”</p><p>Lance sneered at Michael, but he listened. He helped the other man up, and the two of them cleaned up the cans.</p><p>Roland smiled from his seated position on his bed. “That, my friends, is the most interesting thing I’ve seen in days!” Jacob snorted in amusement, and Sam rolled her eyes at him. “I don’t care if it’s ‘dangerous’, it’s hilarious! It’s like watching a live wrestling match.” The freckled boy said.</p><p>An annoyed looking Michael walked over to their cubicle. “Hey, kids. Good morning and all. That fight you just saw, that is the beginning of something bad. Very bad. It could means total anarchy.” He said cautiously. The teens looked at him worriedly. “So like I said, conserve your food and try to avoid situations like this.” Michael added.</p><p>“Anyway, have a good day, guys.” Michael said as he trudged away.</p><p>The three teens sat in uncomfortable silence for a few seconds.</p><p>Roland spoke up. “Why does that guy always have to ruin the mood?”</p><p>“I know he’s not positive, but I think he’s partially right.” Jacob said. “These people may be decent, but everyone starts to be for themselves after a while.”</p><p>“Especially that guy Lance.” Sam added. “He’s-“</p><p>Sam was interrupted by the flickering of the overhead lights in the hall. Jacob and Roland followed her gaze to the ceiling.</p><p>After a few more flickers, the lights finally gave out, and the entire room was plunged into darkness.</p><hr/><p>Fortunately, the slight bit of morning light helped in adding some light to the room, but because of the heavy storm clouds that had gathered, it wasn’t much. The entire hall had quieted down. Questions swirled through everyone’s heads. Wasn’t the military supposed to be keeping track of the power grid? Did they fail? Was Pittsburgh doomed? That last question lingered in Jacob, Sam and Roland’s minds.</p><p>People around the hall had turned some flashlights on to help them see. Donna was also going from cubicle to cubicle, checking in with everyone. When she was done, she went to the center of the room and called for everyone’s attention.</p><p>“Everyone, I know this is scary, but it’s going to be OK. I’m going to contact the National Guard right now and tell them our situation.” The entire hall listened carefully as Donna turned on a battery powered radio and raised the volume.</p><p>“This is Donna Smith from the Charity shelter. Shelter number 8. I repeat, Donna Smith from shelter 8. Our power has been cut. If you here this message, please respond immediately. Over and out.” Donna said. Everyone held their breath as they waited for a response. Seconds passed, and then minutes, and nothing came out of the radio but static.</p><p>Donna let out a nervous laugh. “Everyone, I’m sure we will be contacted in a few minutes.” She placed the radio on the central table next to the stockpile. “If anyone hears anything, let me know.” She walked away, a very strange look on her face.</p><p>The hall erupted with confused voices. Some people started arguing and shouting about leaving, while others were whispering in hushed tones. Eventually, the room was filled with a loud, consistent buzz of chatter.</p><p>Jacob, Sam and Roland remained silent, but the expressions on their faces showed just how terrified they were. If the military had lost contact with the shelter, what did that mean? Did they get overrun?</p><p>“We should pack up. Just in case” Sam told the boys. They nodded silently and began packing their books, food and water bottles.</p><p>Once the packing was done, they placed their bags by each of their beds and sat down. People in the hall were running all over the place, trying to figure out what to do. A panic was setting in.</p><p>Familiar footsteps came towards the cubicle. Michael walked in, his face paler than usual. “Sam, Holly’s parents are planning on leaving by the end of the day. I’m going with them, and they suggested you, your brother and Roland go too.</p><p>Sam nodded, and the others followed without question. They grabbed their bags and headed towards Holly’s cubicle. When they got there, Holly and her parents had already packed up. Diane smiled when she saw the teens. “I’m happy you guys decided to come with us. We’re happy to help.” Tom smiled as well, although his smile felt more strained.</p><p>The chatter throughout the hall was so loud at this point that a normal conversation would be drowned out. Donna decided she’d put an end to it. She walked over to a small table near the front door, placed just underneath a window. She grabbed a whistle on the table and blew it as loud as she could. The hall quieted down as people looked at Donna. “Everybody, stop it right now!” Donna said, unaware of a shadow at the window right behind her. “We need to be quiet, or else-“ The shadow began banging on the window. Donna turned around just as a walker burst through the window and fell onto her.</p><p>“Shit!” Michael yelled. He ran towards Donna, pulling a knife from his belt. Just before he could reach the woman, walkers began crashing through windows all around the hall. One fell right next to him and grabbed his leg, prompting him to stab it in the head. By the time he did, it was too late.</p><p>Several walkers piled onto Donna, and the woman’s screams were drowned out by others throughout the room. Michael turned back and fought his way through walkers to get to the teens, Tom, and Diane.</p><p>People all around the hall were getting attacked by a growing number of walkers. Many of them were already being overwhelmed and eaten. Several gunshots rang out as someone tried to fight the walkers.</p><p>A walker grabbed onto Sam, but Jacob was quick to grab it and throw it to the floor. Sam proceeded to smash its head in with a vicious kick. Michael finally reached them. “C’mon!” he yelled. All of them followed Michael into a small storage room at the far end of the main hall. Tom held the door shut as Michael took a key out of his pocket and opened a smaller door on the other side of the room. That’s when things went very wrong.</p><p>Several walkers forced the door open, knocking Tom down. Most of them grabbed Diane, and sank their teeth into her. The woman cried out in pain as she was forced to the floor and devoured.</p><p>“Diane!” Tom cried. A walker grabbed Tom and sank its moldy teeth into his arm. He was quickly surrounded and torn apart. Holly was too shocked to even react. Michael knew they had no time. He and Roland rushed into the next room, which was a garage with a large SUV parked in it.</p><p>Sam and Jacob managed to get Holly into the car as Michael unlocked it. They all piled in the back. Roland opened the manual garage door just as Michael got the engine started. As soon as Roland jumped into the passenger seat, Michael tore out of the charity center at full speed. He smashed through several walkers on his way out. But after the insane last few minutes, no one cared.</p><p>As they drove away from the former shelter, walkers could be seen pouring out of the garage and heading towards them from behind.</p><p>Holly was completely silent in the middle seat between Sam and Jacob. She had a blank stare on her face. Sam looked at Jacob worriedly. That wasn’t a good sign.</p><p>“What the hell just happened?” Roland murmured. “Everyone in there is just dead--just like that.”</p><p>No one said anything. No one could believe it, either. How could an entire room full of people just die, in a few minutes, no less? No one had the answer to that.</p><p>As they drove through Pittsburgh, they all noticed the same thing: no power, and walkers everywhere. Michael dodged the occasional car stopped in the middle of the road. This looked like something out of a fictional dystopia, not reality.</p><p>“Ok, we should be ok.” Michael said calmly. “We’ll take the 79 and head south. It’ll all be…” the young man trailed off and his jaw went slack as he looked up at the sky.</p><p>Everyone looked up. They couldn’t believe their eyes. It was a group of fighter jets, all zipping towards the center of the city. As they reached it, small, black objects could be seen falling from them. Even from here, the deafening explosions and the blinding fireballs could be felt and seen, respectively.</p><p>“Holy fuck…” Roland muttered.</p><p>“They...they firebombed the city.” Michael said, wide eyed and pale. By now, he had slowed the SUV to a halt and didn’t even have his hands on the wheel. He stuttered, completely shocked. “Get us out of here now, dammit!” Sam yelled. This seemed to jerk Michael back into reality, and he hit the gas and headed towards interstate 79.</p><p>As he got on the interstate, he had to slow down because of all the debris scattered across it. Like before, the car ride was silent. Everyone wore hopeless expressions on their faces. What would life be like now?</p><p>Finally, after several minutes of careful but speedy driving, they reached the first signs of countryside. Michael got off the interstate and drove down a small country road, looking for some temporary refuge. He settled on a small, secluded barn nearby. He parked his car in front. “Wait here.” Michael told everyone. After checking the barn and seeming satisfied that it was decently safe, he let all the teens join him.</p><p>Everyone walked into the barn. Michael decided they would sleep on the hay loft, for added safety. They climbed up, quietly making cots out of hay and extra clothes. At this point, Sam was getting very worried. Holly was still silent, though now tears were streaming down her face. The possibility of her having a complete mental breakdown was not far fetched. The question now, was when would she have it?</p><hr/><p>As Jacob got into his cot that night, he thought about what they had done all day. Few words had been exchanged. They had shared a couple of cans between the five of them for lunch. Luckily, Holly was aware enough to eat something.</p><p>After that, they had each retreated into themselves, reading books or lying down. Compared to the morning in the shelter, the afternoon felt like an entirely different reality.</p><p>And as Jacob fell asleep, he thought to himself, things are <em>not </em>working out.</p>
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